 | |
| Names | |
|---|---|
| Preferred IUPAC name Calcium dipropanoate | |
| Other names Calcium propionate Calcium dipropionate Mycoban | |
| Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol) | |
| ChemSpider |
|
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.021.633 |
| EC Number |
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| E number | E282(preservatives) |
| KEGG | |
| UNII | |
| |
| |
| Properties | |
| C6H10CaO4 | |
| Molar mass | 186.2192 g/mol |
| Appearance | White crystalline solid |
| Melting point | 300 °C |
| 49 g/100 mL (0 °C) 55.8 g/100 mL (100 °C) | |
| Solubility | slightly soluble inmethanol,ethanol insoluble inacetone,benzene |
| Structure | |
| monoclinic | |
| Hazards | |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in theirstandard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). | |
Calcium propanoate orcalcium propionate has the formulaCa(C2H5COO)2. It is thecalcium salt ofpropanoic acid.
As a food additive, it is listed asE number 282 in theCodex Alimentarius. Calcium propionate is used as a preservative in a wide variety of products, including: bread, other baked goods, processed meat, whey, and other dairy products.[2] In agriculture, it is used, amongst other things, to preventmilk fever in cows and as a feed supplement.[3] Propionates prevent microbes from producing the energy they need, like benzoates do. However, unlike benzoates, propionates do not require an acidic environment.[4]
Calcium propionate is used in bakery products as a mold inhibitor, typically at 0.1–0.4%[5] (though animal feed may contain up to 1%). Mold contamination is considered a serious problem amongst bakers, and conditions commonly found in baking present near-optimal conditions for mold growth.[6]
A few decades ago,Bacillus mesentericus (rope), was a serious problem,[7] but today's improved sanitary practices in the bakery, combined with rapid turnover of the finished product, have virtually eliminated this form of spoilage.[8] Calcium propionate andsodium propionate are effective against bothB. mesentericus rope and mold.[9]
Metabolism ofpropionate begins with its conversion to propionyl coenzyme A (propionyl-CoA), the usual first step in the metabolism of carboxylic acids. Since propanoic acid has three carbons, propionyl-CoA cannot directly enter thebeta oxidation or thecitric acid cycles. In most vertebrates, propionyl-CoA is carboxylated to D-methylmalonyl-CoA, which is isomerised to L-methylmalonyl-CoA. A vitamin B12–dependent enzyme catalyzes rearrangement of L-methylmalonyl-CoA to succinyl-CoA, which is an intermediate of the citric acid cycle and can be readily incorporated there.
Children were challenged with calcium propionate or placebo through daily bread in a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial. Although there was no significant difference by two measures, a statistically significant difference was found in the proportion of children whose behaviours "worsened" with challenge (52%), compared to the proportion whose behaviour "improved" with challenge (19%).[10] When propanoic acid was infused directly into rodents' brains, it produced reversible behavior changes (e.g. hyperactivity, dystonia, social impairment,perseveration) and brain changes (e.g. innate neuroinflammation, glutathione depletion) partially mimicking humanautism.[11]
Calcium propionate can be used as a fungicide on fruit.[12]
In a 1973 study reported by theEPA, the waterborne administration of 180 ppm of calcium propionate was found to be slightly toxic tobluegill sunfish.[13]
In a recent well-designed translational study, human subjects fed 500 mg of calcium propionate twice daily demonstrated a modest decrease in LDL and total cholesterol, without a change in HDL. The study, only eight weeks in length, requires additional studies of both verification and longer duration to demonstrate the clinical value of this chemical. The study identified a novel regulatory circuit that links the gut microbiota metabolite propionic acid (PA), a short-chain fatty acid, with the gut immune system to control intestinal cholesterol homeostasis .[14]
